Notes on the Accountability of the People of God

Romans 2:1 - 16

Paul is lashing into the people who consider themselves people of God. In a way he is speaking to the Jews but he is also speaking to the Christians. We are not to judge others for those sins we ourselves are guilty of committing. Paul firmly lays out that we will be accountable for the deeds of this life in the next. That we will be judged according to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Romans 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

  • Therefore you have no excuse no matter who you are. When you judge another you condemn yourself for you are as guilty as the one you judge.
    • (When Paul says "therefore" he is referring back to Romans 1:20. God is now evident and obvious so he must be considered. When we look at judgement we should remember King David and the Prophet Nathan 2 Samuel 12:5 - 7. David rendered judgement and found out he was judging himself. This was especially important in Rome since the Jews tended to hold themselves above the Gentiles and judge them harshly.)

Romans 2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

  • But God will judge all who do these things.

Romans 2:3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

  • Do you think that if you judge others for the sins that you are guilty of that you will escape the judgement of God.

Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

  • Do you despise the richness of his goodness, his forgiveness, and his patience not realizing that the goodness of God leads to repentance?
    • (God desires that we all come to repentance 2 Peter 3:9 but man seeks to deny God's faithfulness.)

Romans 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

  • Because of your hardhearted unrepentant behavior you are storing up wrath for the day of judgement when God comes in wrath and righteous judgement.

Romans 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

  • Who will judge every man by his deeds.
    • (Man will be judged on his deeds Psalm 62:12. However salvation is not dependent on these works being solely dependent Grace and Faith.)

Romans 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

  • To those who by continual patience do good works, do them for glory and honour and immortality, gain eternal life.

Romans 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

  • But to those that cause quarrels, who do not seek truth, but rather seek unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

Romans 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

  • trouble and sorrow, upon every man's soul that does evil, both the Jew and the Gentile.

Romans 2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

  • But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that does good works, both the Jew and the Gentile.

Romans 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

  • God does not favor one group of people over another.
    • (God does not favor the Jews over the Gentiles. In the Old Covenant God choose a people, now in the New Covenant he chooses who he will. God may choose one brother and not the other or the father but not the sons.)

Romans 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

  • Those who have sinned without the law they will die without the law. Those who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

Romans 2:13 For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

  • The ones who obey the law not the ones who hear the law are the ones who will be justified

Romans 2:14 (For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

  • (Indeed when the Gentiles who do not have the law, obey the law, they are a law unto themselves.

Romans 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

  • They show the law in their hearts and their consciences bear witness.)

Romans 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

  • on the day that God will judge the secrets of men according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
    • (Note the parenthesis enclosing verses 14 and 15. This verse should be read as the continuation of verse 13.)

Second Samuel Chapter 12

Psalm 62

Mathew Chapter 7 - Full Text

Romans Chapter 1

Romans Chapter 2 - Full Text

Second Peter Chapter 3

References in Scripture

Romans 2:1 - 16


Second Samuel 12:5 - 7

5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:

6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;


Psalm 62:12

12 Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.


Mathew 7:1 - 5

1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2 For with what judgment ye Judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.


Romans 1:20

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:


Romans 2:1 - 16

1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.


2 Peter 3:9

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.


A Study Bible - Main Index Post Comments and Questions
Alphabetical Index to the Bible Notes
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
To Understand my faith better I have decided to construct these pages. They are strictly educational, non-commercial and to foster scholarly discussion. All Bible quotes are from the King James Version unless otherwise stated. I use the KJV because while not a perfect translation it is literal and out of Copyright. All mistakes are my own and if you differ from my thoughts I welcome your comments. J. Barry O'Connell Jr.